practical
original Herreshoff plans, enabled the team to
accurately examine Marilee’s current shape
and compare it with the design from 1926. They
discovered that the deck line and sheer were
grossly misshapen – by over four inches – from
years of unsupported rigging loads.
That first winter a portion of the keel
was replaced, along with the horn timber,
and approximately 80 per cent of the floor
frames. Bronze plates were incorporated for
added strength and resilience in the floor
frame connections and the mast base itself.
Additionally, two of the hull frames were cut
to double thickness for exponentially more
hull stiffness.
Around half the planking was replaced,
both single and double planks, using custom-
designed fasteners. The wheel was replaced
with a tiller and an accompanying rudder, all
built according to original Herreshoff plans.
Lastly, the engine was moved from far aft,
where it was unsupported, to the centre of
the boat – better for racing and also for the
structure of the boat.
After being rapidly relaunched for a
summer of racing in 2014, the following
autumn Marilee entered her second phase of
restoration, and there was quite a bit more to
do. The yard had to completely rip the boat
apart, breaking it all the way back down to just
framing and planking.
When the chainplates were removed, it was
found that the boltholes were oblong, and that
the sheer plank had lifted vertically from the
strain on planks below. To avoid any similar
problems in the future, and strengthen the
mast-step foundation, the chainplates were
attached to a large bronze load plate that
would be fastened to the hull framing. A team
of metalsmiths custom-fabricated all the
hardware, in place, to ensure a perfect fit.
The high-stress area of the running backstayterminals were treated the same way, but in
practice this was much more complex, because
it meant hand-rolling a load plate to fit a curved
area of the hull. Additionally a bronze knee was
welded to the framework. The largest loads are
now distributed along this custom-fabricated
bronze framework.Originality
When Marilee was originally launched, her coach
house and larger cockpit gave her a distinctive
silhouette. But by 2015 Marilee’s deck furniture
had grown tired, heavy and Victorian in style. It
was not up to the usual Herreshoff standard.
Todd French and team planned to return
Marilee to her original proportions on deck. The
coach houses, skylight, hatches, coamings,
and cockpit were all rebuilt to correct scale
and accuracy, while restoring them to clean,
utilitarian, fine shapes.
Additional design elements, such as the
90-year-old antique glass layered under
safety glass, brought character back to the
coachhouse. Marilee’s signature pugilist
‘Fighting Forties’ racing logo was etched in the
glass mirror.
Marilee’s owner had the bold vision to create
an interior that reflected the yacht’s century-
long provenance while creating an open
space below. Having seen hundreds of classic
yachts around the world, he realised that
many interiors were dominated by darkness
in all things from varnish to seat cushions.
These ‘cigar room’ interiors often simply don’t
translate in a modern era, where people value a
more relaxed style of comfort.
It became clear from comparing plans that
ever since the inception of the class, the interior
space has been personal to each owner. In fact,
Herreshoff designed many different layouts to
accommodate the widely varied preferences of
each NY40 owner. With this in mind, Marilee’srestoration team set out to create a fresh,
innovative space.
The team worked with Paul Waring of
Stephens Waring Yacht Design, to create a
traditional and properly constructed interior
with an updated layout for modern day use.
They chose to emphasise one of Herreshoff’s
guiding principles: of uncluttered sightlines.
Panelled bulkheads, seating areas, and
functional areas were crafted out of cypress,
as specified in Herreshoff’s NY40 plans.
To create the desired patina, materialsLeft: Marilee was literally pulled
back into shape using chain failsIn
1926
Marilee’s original
price was
$27,000
(equivalent to
$380,000
today)›